TNAG-1429-FCO40-1912-Chinese-visa-office-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 35

CON IDENTIAL

5. IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT THESE REQUESTS ARE A LOCAL INITIATIVE. PROVIDED YOU AND THE FCO SEE NO OBJECTION IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU WERE TO SPEAK TO THE MFA, POINTING OUT THAT THESE REQUESTS ARE INCONSISTENT WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE AGREEMENT ON THE VISA OFFICE, AND THAT THE VISA OFFICE CANNOT EXPECT TO ADOPT ALL THE OUTWARD SIGNS OF BEING A CONSULATE WHILE STILL CLAIMING NOT TO BE ONE. IF YOU AGREE, WE SHALL SPEAK TO THE VISA OFFICE ALONG THE SAME LINES.

YOUDE

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

MINIMAL

HKD

FED

MVD

-2-

COMIDENTIAL

THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT ADVANCED